This “Book Club” is basically code for….I read a book and then tell you about it so you can consider whether or not to add this to your own reading list. This time it was the fictional Me Before You by JoJo Moyes. I go back and forth between fiction and nonfiction. Nonfiction has so much I can learn from, but I love finding a fictional story that still makes me think a little. I’m not overly interested in a mindless read, but it is nice to get lost in a story. This had the perfect combination of a thoughtful story that didn’t strain my brain too much.
What I liked about it:
- The story is largely focused on the life of Will Traynor, a recent quadriplegic due to a motorcycle accident. I have an extremely limited understanding of what life is like for those bound by wheelchair, so it was good to get a glimpse at that and some of the difficulties I hadn’t even considered.
- The characters were so well developed. I love strong character development in any book, and I felt I could relate to the main character, Louisa, in some ways. I especially liked the dynamic between Louisa and Will as well as some of the dynamics within Louisa’s family.
- Jojo Moyes has such an easy writing style, and I think there’s a lot to learn from how she carefully weaves a description together–pointing out both the tangibles and the thought process of the characters somehow in the same breath.
- Okay fine, I listened to the audiobook, please hold your judgment. If you so choose to do the same, the voice actor, Susan Lyons, did a great job. I’ve listened to a few other books performed by her and continue to be impressed. Plus, who doesn’t love a British accent?
What I didn’t like:
- The hard situations to consider were really well done, but I didn’t love the ending. If you read the book, let me know and I will speak about it in more detail but for now, I don’t want to give anything away. Ending aside, I’d still say this book is worth the read.
- At first, I had no idea where the book was going and continued in anticipation. By the end, it became more predictable, especially with the Patrick character.
- A few of the reviews I’ve read (don’t worry I actually read the book, I just like to get a full picture of what others think afterwards) mentioned the wealth of Will’s family and how it made for a lot of convenient opportunities within the book. I would have to agree with that assessment, but at the same time, it was good to see that certain accidents and life happenings can occur regardless of how much a person makes.
Concluding thoughts:
- It kept reminding me of an adult version of the Secret Garden. There’s a
boyman in a wheelchair who is fairly miserable and makes everyone around him miserable. Enter, determinedgirlwoman who thrust into this situation due to an unavoidable hardship who first resists and then decides to make the best of this life, both hers and his. (This is neither a good or bad thing, but I couldn’t help but imagine the movie I’d watched a few decades ago). - This was a good read all in all, especially if you are looking for something that has a story line that is fairly compelling but doesn’t make you work too hard to understand it.
*Note: The book images above contain affiliate links should you decide to order the book or audiobook. That said, I got this from the library and have a feeling you could do the same. Libraries sometimes make me feel so rich with all of those books and resources so readily available.
